Supermarket Employee Kills Two Co-Workers Before Committing Suicide

OLD BRIDGE — A 23-year-old supermarket employee shot and killed two co-workers this morning before killing himself, Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan and Chief William Volkert of the Old Bridge Police Department announced

Terence Tyler, 23, of Old Bridge was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting, a Pathmark supermarket located on Route 9 in Old Bridge.

A preliminary investigation by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Old Bridge Police Department determined that Tyler, who had been employed at the Pathmark since Aug. 20, was working in the store at about 3:30 a.m. when he went to his vehicle and drove away.

He returned about 20 minutes later, dressed in desert camouflage clothing and brandished a weapon similar to an AK-47 assault rifle.

Tyler opened fire on an employee standing outside the store. The employee ran inside and warned his co-workers as Tyler continued firing the weapon and entered the building.

Twelve other employees who were working the overnight shift in preparation for the morning opening, ran for cover.

Tyler stopped at an aisle and fired at five employees, striking and killing two of his co-workers, later identified as Cristina LoBrutto, 18, and Bryan Breen, 24, both Old Bridge residents.

Tyler, who fired at least 16 shots from the rifle, then drew a handgun and shot himself.

Police officers from Old Bridge, assisted by officers from Sayreville and Perth Amboy immediately responded after Old Bridge police received a call at 4:01 a.m. alerting them to the shooting. Police cordoned off the area and assisted several employees as they fled from the store. There was no exchange of shots between the gunman and police.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Special Operations Response Team (SORT) arrived and made entry into the store and safely removed other employees.

The SORT members found the gunman and the two co-workers, who later were pronounced dead at the scene. The rifle, several ammunition magazines and a 45 caliber handgun were also recovered from the scene.

The results of autopsies by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office were not immediately available.

The motive for the attack remains under investigation.

Tyler has been identified as a former marine, who was discharged in 2010. He moved to Old Bridge in June, after living in southern California following his discharge from the military. He was raised in Brooklyn.

Kaplan commended the quick response by Old Bridge, Perth Amboy and Sayreville police departments and the Special Operations and Response Team. Kaplan also recognized and thanked the FBI and the ATF for their assistance in the investigation.